29: Robert Diehl

When we last put the spotlight on 100 creative forces in Phoenix, it was no secret there were more than 100 individuals who were making waves in the local arts community. So as we count down to our annual Best of Phoenix issue, we're profiling 100 more. Welcome (back) to 100 Creatives.

Robert Diehl is from New York City and describes himself as an "organizer, or maybe just an appreciator sort of, of the changing zeitgeist." He curates Bokeh Gallery in downtown Phoenix and has helped organized countless community events including TedxScottsdale and the effort to save the "Phoenix Ficus."

Bokeh Gallery

Bob Diehl

"I've found history often does repeat itself as farce," he says. "At the moment I'm trying to help my neighborhood figure out how to do balanced residential development, get a locally owned grocery store operating near here, get art collectors downtown, get Phoenix's first urban dog park and urban park park done interestingly, put an interesting streetface on the first new office buildings in a while, along with Design for Good get a true community school going south of the river, get a TEDx into a state prison, and get a Keith Haring and wall mark making tribute finally PAINTED.

TEDxScottsdale

Bob Diehl

I came to Phoenix with ... a wife, 17 horses, five dogs, four cats, and a snake.